1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to business card holders and particularly to an weatherproof business card holder and dispenser, which may be attached to a vehicle exterior.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Essentially, business cards serve to identify persons and/or business enterprises, and the occupation, profession, or trade of such person or the particular business activity of the business enterprise. Consequently, business cards are capable of being used as an advertisement instrumentality since they effectively bring to the immediate attention of anyone reading a particular card of the availability for hire or employment of the identified individual or business enterprise to perform certain services for hire. Obviously, the potential volume of business or employment and, thus, the monetary return that can be generated by a business card functioning simply as an advertisement instrumentality is directly related to the number of persons who are made aware of the card and actually read the same. The more persons viewing a particular business card, the greater will be the potential for increasing the business activities of the business card owner. When a service vehicle or company car is parked outside an establishment, the advertisement on the vehicle often draws the attention of potential customers in the surrounding area.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,225, issued Mar. 27, 2001 to Fox, claims a portable device for displaying dispensing card-like members, which includes a generally rectangular box having a display storage cavity formed adjacent its forward wall for supporting card-like member in a vertical position for visible display. A main storage cavity is provided for storing a reserve supply of additional card-like members in a vertical position from which they may be easily dispensed. A support plate is removably attachable to the rear surface of the box, and the support plate in turn may be securely attached to a vertical support surface.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,957, issued Dec. 12, 1998 to Morris, provides a business card dispenser, mountable on an exterior surface of a vehicle used by a business person, which stores business cards or other promotional materials and is accessible to prospective customers located in the vicinity of the vehicle so as to permit the prospective customers to remove promotional materials from the business card dispenser. The business card dispenser preferably includes a base mountable on the vehicle, e.g. by adhesive strips, and a card holder mounted on the base and receiving the promotional materials. The card holder is preferably removably mounted on the base to permit its removal, thus preventing theft or damage to the card holder. The card holder also incorporates measures to protect the cards from the elements. Indicia preferably are provided on the vehicle in the vicinity of the business card dispenser to draw prospective customers' attention to the business card dispenser.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,800, issued Apr. 1, 1997 to Meyers, concerns an integrated business card and information dispenser device, for dispensing one or more pieces of information or business cards with each stroke of the dispensing lever, which can be mounted permanently or temporarily using a variety of mounting means. The device has a business card and information storage area, a dispensing means, and a locking article storage area. The device is waterproof and has various indicia display surfaces.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,203, issued Jul. 8, 1997 to Tappenden, shows a holder for supporting a plurality of business cards relative to a vehicle. The inventive device includes a base plate that has a mounting assembly for coupling to a vehicle. A dispensing assembly projects from the base plate and supports a plurality of stacked business cards for individual reception by a person.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 1,739,801, issued Dec. 17, 1929 to Pitts, provides an advertising device that comprises a receptacle for advertising circulars, cards, or other matter, which has vacuum cup attachments for mounting the device to any smooth surface.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. D365,231, issued Dec. 19, 1995 to Hopper, puts forth the ornamental design for a display box for business cards, which may be mounted on and then held in place by a vehicle window.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,031, issued Jan. 4, 2000 to Fox, describes an apparatus for dispensing articles bearing information thereon, which is made of a box-like container having a hinged lid for loading articles such as business cards. The front side of the box, opposite the hinged side, is slightly shorter than the other sides, whereby a slit is formed between the lid and the front side. A spring biasing means is attached to the bottom of the box and lifts a supporting surface and the business cards towards the lid. Interested individuals may remove the cards through the slit and the spring biasing means will replenish the cards.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,367, issued Feb. 18, 2003 to Piroch, illustrates an article-dispensing container for dispensing articles from a container that protects the articles prior to dispensing and is easily and conveniently mountable on a vertical support. The article-dispensing container includes a receptacle that comprises a lower portion, which has a cavity and an upper opening, and an upper lid portion, which is pivotally coupled to the lower portion adjacent to the upper opening of the receptacle.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. D325,048, issued Mar. 31, 1992 to Penner, depicts the ornamental design for magnetized business card holder, which has a receptacle for a display card and a larger receptacle for a plurality of business cards.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,268, issued Dec. 26, 1989 to Shubeck, discloses a card display device for automobile windows which comprises a strip of material overlapped upon itself to form a series of pockets for holding cards or other advertising material. The top end of the strip is reversely turned to form a retaining flange for locking the strip on the top edge of an automobile windowpane when closed. In the preferred embodiment the strip extends beyond the flange perpendicular to the back of the strip thereby forming a handle for carrying and positioning the card holder.
What is needed is a secure mounting card holding and dispensing structure with a lid that pivots up from one side to the other and locks down in combination with a waterproof casing and secure attaching surface for long term attachment to an outside of a vehicle.